Have you ever wondered how that bead art of Kylo Ren on display in our store came from? Well we’re pleased to share the experiences of it’s creator, Olivia Gorecke, with you here!
It all starts with the smallest of beads.
How did you get into doing your epic bead art and how long have you been doing it?
I started doing beads as a kid. I had countless small sets on hand at all times and was constantly making small pieces. I took a bit of a break as a teenager and started up again in February of 2015 with the Breaking Bad piece. Online, I saw that someone had made a fairly large piece and I was interested in trying it myself.
More like “Breaking Bead”.
How long does it take you to make one of your pieces?
The timing for each piece is different, depending on what is happening in my life at the time. For instance, when I was in school, they took much longer. The Breaking Bad piece, which was my first large one, took right around a month to complete. As a general rule, they take about a week to put together and another few days to iron.
Technically this is a masterpiece.
What's the process of making these like?
Putting them together is the best part! After I find an image and pixilate it, I begin making them one board at a time. Each board is 5.5x5.5 inches and are capable of being linked together to the size of my liking. Focusing on one board at a time allows the whole process to be more relaxing than if I had all of the boards in front of me at once; often, a full piece includes 24-42 boards.
We love having Ren’s visage in our store!
You have at least one piece on display at Level Up. Is there any other place where people could see your art on display?
The Kylo Ren at Level Up is one of my favorite pieces! Currently, you can check out some of my other work at the Avalon Free Public Library as well as the Brigantine Library.
Olivia during her live demonstration at Free Comic Book Day 2019.
How did you like your first live demonstration/display at our Free Comic Book Day event this year?
Having a table at Free Comic Book Day was indescribable. I’ve worked weekends for the last seven years, and this was my first opportunity to attend the event in any capacity. It was incredible to see the community come together and patronize local businesses while celebrating all things comic book. I can’t wait for next year!
Are you available for custom work and if so how should people reach you?
I love making custom pieces! My Facebook & Instagram are both @beadsbyoliv, and I can be reached by email at oliviagorecke@gmail.com
